Britain’s biggest police force may become the first in England to scrap the
traditional dark blue jacket in favour of high-visibility outfits as
officers’ standard attire, it has been reported.

Senior Metropolitan Police reportedly believe that the fluorescent waterproof jackets will make it easier for the public to spot officers on the street, particularly during protests or riots.

But critics said the changes were set to end almost 200 years of tradition at Scotland Yard, in which officers were referred to as the “Boys in Blue”, and would now instead be known as the "Boys in Yellow".

The so-called ‘Hi-vis’ clothing is currently worn as routine by officers attending road accidents or those who ride bicycles and motorbikes, with PCs wearing a bright yellow vest over their normal coat, the Daily Mail reported.

A trial of the new jackets occurred in three London boroughs in December, with a view to using them throughout England and Wales. The results are still being analysed.

Sources told the newspaper the new uniform requirement could add as much as £10million to operating budgets, at a time when the force is struggling to make more than £500million in cuts.

The Met has around 30,600 fully sworn officers, and a further 2,600 police community support officers. Critics suggested that the cost could pay for an extra 200 officers.

Glen Smyth, a former chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said the new changes would ensure officers did not appear as “smart”.

“Hi-vis jackets are part of a smoke-and-mirrors trick to make it look like there are more police officers than there actually are,” he told the newspaper.

Dai Davies, a former Met Police Royalty Protection chief, added: “There is a time and a place for officers wearing yellow jackets, and that is normally on traffic duties or night shifts. For nearly 200 years the Met have been the Boys In Blue. It must stay that way.”

But John Tully, current chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said while he liked the “ceremonial image” of the London bobbie, it was a sign of the times.

He added: “But we have to be realists as well and realise times move on and we have to be operationally match-fit, and part of that is properly dressed.”

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “The Metropolitan Police Service is proposing to introduce new hi-vis yellow jackets to police uniform in a bid to improve visibility.

“The public were asked their opinion on the jackets, compared to the existing black jackets, via Twitter and Facebook. A trial of the jackets took place in December 2012 in Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Sutton.”

“Feedback is currently being collated via a user survey. A decision on whether the jackets should be rolled out across London will be made following the results."

He added: “As a decision is yet to be made in relation to whether a new hi-vis jacket will be adopted, we are not in a position to speculate about costs.”